Binoviewers

Binoviewers provide a more natural viewing experience by allowing you to observe with both eyes. A binoviewer splits the light exiting from your telescope, directing it to two separate eyepieces. These eyepieces must be of an identical design and focal length for viewing simultaneously with both eyes. Binoviewers flex in the middle like a pair of binoculars, allowing for adjustment of interpupillary distance. Objects take on a 3-D appearance when observed using a binoviewer.

An important consideration when using binoviewers is that they add approximately five inches to the optical path length. Some telescope designs, such as Schmidt-Cassegrains and their derivatives, have enough focus travel to compensate for this. Most other designs, including Newtonians and refractors, do not have sufficient "in" focus travel to compensate for this. Most of the binoviewers offered here on this page offer optical corrector systems to compensate for the added optical path length. An alternative solution currently offered by Stellarvue is the binoviewer ready telescope. These refractor telescopes have sectioned optical tube assemblies that allow the physical length to be shortened enough to compensate for the binoviewer.